Weekend Wakeup: Welcome to ‘summer weekend traffic patterns’

WASHINGTON – Summer weekend traffic patterns will be in place for the next several months as most schools have let out for vacation.

On Sundays the usual sore spots where traffic tends to slow include northbound Interstate 95 through Fredericksburg, Va. and Stafford County, Va. and Route 50 through Queenstown, Md. It is not uncommon for Interstate 66 to bog down during the daytime hours.

Events around the area

Many motorists will be heading downtown for Safeway’s National Capital Barbecue Battle. The event will block Pennsylvania Avenue downtown between 9th and 14th streets NW. It will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Expect delays on the routes around Federal Triangle and inside the 12th Street Tunnel.

N. Highland St. from Washington Blvd. to 1210 N. Highland St. — Vehicles will be permitted to enter and exit the parking garage for 3100 Clarendon Blvd. via N. 11th St.

N. Hartford St. from N. Highland St. to 1228 N. Hartford St.

The festival will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and may affect traffic on Wilson and Clarendon boulevards. The event is accessible by Metro.

In Leesburg the popular Northern Virginia Brewfest will take place at Morven Park. In the past, this event has caused significant delays on Route 15 between the Route 7 Bypass and Lucketts, Va. Police will be on scene directing traffic after 10 a.m. near the park entrances.

Loudoun County authorities warn that attendees will encounter a new traffic pattern on Route 15. Earlier this month the traffic signals on Route 15 at Sycolin Road were removed as the construction of a new overpass ensues.

Metro work

Track work on Metro will prompt delays on the Red Line. Shuttle buses will replace trains between Rhode Island Avenue and Forest Glen.

The Brookland, Takoma and Silver Spring stations will be closed. Two types of buses will be available outside these stations. Limited-stop buses will run between Forest Glen and Rhode Island Avenue and will make one stop at Silver Spring. Local buses will make stops at all closed stations.

The Fort Totten station will be open for Green and Yellow line service only.

Trains will single track on the Orange Line between Cheverly and New Carrollton. Delays are not expected between Vienna and Cheverly.